How to Extend a Biomechanical Alignment

Biomechanical alignment is the alignment of your joints in relation to one another. Poor biomechanical alignment can cause a variety of health issues including foot and back pain, shin splints and poor flexibility. Extending your biomechanical alignment is the ideal way to prevent and treat poor alignment and alleviate pain caused by improper alignment. Yoga is the most effective way to extend biomechanical alignment in a way that fits your body's needs.

Things You'll Need

• Yoga mat

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Instructions

• 1

  Try an Anasura yoga class. Anasura yoga focuses on proper body alignment, moving new practitioners through a series of asanas, or yoga postures, that promote biomechanical alignment. For the first few times, try a class at a local yoga studio or gym -- the instructors will be able to help you with the alignment, guiding you toward achieving the maximum benefits of the practice by doing the postures correctly. After you have worked with an instructor a few times and feel comfortable with the way each posture is properly executed, you can buy yoga DVDs or take online classes.

• 2

  Stretch each morning after you wake up and each evening before going to sleep. Never strech on cold muscles, always promote bloodflow to your muscles by walking up or down stairs or around the block before stretching. To stretch, sit on the floor with your legs in front of you. Lift your arms alongside your head so your upper arms are parallel. Fold forward at the hip, trying to touch your toes. You should feel a good stretch along your hamstrings. Take at least five deep breaths in this position. Inhale yourself back to seated. Exhale your arms to a "T" position so your elbows align with your shoulders and exhale your hands across your body so your elbows stack in front of your chest and opposite arm comes to opposite shoulderblade.

• 3

  Consult with your doctor about physical therapy if your symptoms are not relieved by yoga and proper attention to posture and alignment. Physical therapists can provide treatment options for improper biomechanical alignment including massage therapy, stabilization positioning and specialized exercises for your specific alignment issues.